


Dreams of Hufflepuff

by Another_Noname_User



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Bullied Neville, Doubting the Sorting Hat, F/M, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-01
Updated: 2018-08-01
Packaged: 2019-06-20 04:57:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,736
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15526539
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Another_Noname_User/pseuds/Another_Noname_User
Summary: After years of getting bullied by fellow Griffindors and getting compared to Hufflepuffs, Neville wonders if he really was put in the wrong house. He comes across a kind Ravenclaw named Luna Lovegood, whom he believes belongs to Hufflepuff as well.





	1. Chapter 1

Neville wished he was in Hufflepuff, although his Gran would kill him if she knew that. He wasn't brave or brass or any of those other traits his house would known for. He would much rather stay in the greenhouses with Mrs. Sprout than have adventures with Harry and his friends. For goodness sake, he had gotten house points his first year for trying to stop Harry from having his adventure!

Perhaps he should tell Dumbledore he was put in the wrong house. He thought about it as he walked into the empty greenhouse. He picked up the potted plant Mrs. Sprout was letting him take to his dorm for extra credit. Of course, he didn't really need the extra credit, but he found that taking care of the plants was calming and relaxing. Neville almost dropped the clay pot when he saw a blond Ravenclaw girl searching the plants. 

Hearing him start she turned around. "Nargles hid my shoes. They aren't in that Shrivelfig, are they?" She asked with an airy, calm voice, that suggested she thought talking about some made up species was totally normal.

Neville shook his head. "Sorry."

She looked at him. "There's nothing to apologise for, unless you moved them."

They talked for a while, and Neville helped her search. After a few minutes she glanced around and said with certainty. "Well, the nargles aren't here. I'll bet they're in the hydrangeas." Neville thought she was going to walk out without another word, but she turned and looked at him. "It was nice talking with you about the nargles. Most people just call me odd and stop listening." 

"It- It was nice talking to you too, Luna." But she was already gone.

Neville walked out of the greenhouse carrying a large plotted plant he was bringing to his dormitory for extra credit. He didn't really need the extra credit, but he enjoyed taking care of plants. It was calming and the scent of wet dirt that filled his side of the dorm was nice. 

He gripped the pot tighter as he passed a group of Griffindors that often bullied him. He speed up, but they saw him before he could make it back. "Hey, Hufflepuff!" The boys voice was cheery, but Neville was wary as he turned around. "Why are your robes red? Did one of your plants die it?"They laughed and Neville took a step back. 

"Its not very nice to walk away when someone's talking to you." A girl spoke, smirking at him. "You cant even manage to be nice like a proper Hufflepuff. Look at that, you fail at being a failure." The other Griffindor's cheered and laughed.

Neville blinked away tears and brought the plant closer to him, focusing on the sent of the leaves. The girl walked up to him. "Are you trying to bury yourself in your plant?" She laughed. "Here let me help!" She pushed him back and dirt spilled over him. 

Unfortunately, she pushed too hard and the pot broke. Ceramic shards cut into him and dyed his robes red. She stopped smirking. "Oh, shit. I didn't think I pushed him that hard."

The boy who first called him a Hufflepuff walked up. "Is he hurt?"

Another girl spoke up. "Guys, Mrs. McGonagall's heading this way. We need to leave." 

Neville had never seen Mrs. McGonagall so angry and for once it didn't scare him. "Lets get you to Madam Pomfrey." She was quiet in her rage, which has good because Neville was already far to close to tears. He wondered if she knew that.

"Now who did this to you, boy?" Her tone was serious, but kindly. 

Neville shrugged and looked out the window in the Hospital Wing. "I dunno. It was dark, I didn't catch their face." It was obvious he was lying, he was never that causal. He didn't want to lie to a teacher, but if those other Griffindors knew that he told, life would be hell for the next few weeks. 

Mrs. McGonagall sighed and walked out. "If you remember anything, Ill be in my office." She walked out of the Hospital Wing, her robes trailing behing her.

Mrs. Pomfrey quickly cast episkey and kicked him out, not waiting to see if he left before moving on to another patient.

The halls were quiet, save only for his the soft rhythmic sounds of his shoes on the floor and the breeze rustling his robes. Everyone was down eating dinner, giving him a chance to relax in blissful solitude. He reached the hallway where his plant lay strewn across the concrete floor. Crouched over his plant was Luna, her face focused on the dirt in front of her. "Repario." She said softly, pointing her wand at the shards.

Neville walked up as the pot magically repaired itself and Luna, after tucking her wand behind her ear, began scooping up dirt in her hands and putting it in the magically repaired pot.

Neville sat down next to her and silently helped, making sure to avoid the wiggling roots, stained red with the blood that had fallen on the ground when he finally put the plant back into the pot. "Thank you." Neville said to Luna, who waved it off.

"Of course." Luna said. "What are friends for?"

Only a Hufflepuff would consider them to be friends after one meeting. Why was she in Ravenclaw? Surely no Ravenclaw would believe the stuff her father told her. They were supposed to be the smart house. The curious house that learned the truth. Only a Hufflepuff would be this loyal after only one meeting. He thought about this as he made the trip back into his dorm.


	2. The DA

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Neville comes across Luna again, along with an offer for to go to the Hog's Head.

Harry glanced at him when he walk in to their room with Ron. "Were you at dinner?" He asked.

 

Neville looked up from his homework and shook his head. "Wasn't hungry." It wasn't a total lie. The whole experience had caused him to lose his appetite and he had some snacks from Hogsmeade in his bag for when his hunger returned. 

 

Harry nodded and went back to his conversation with Ron. Neville heard him say something about Umbridge and he went back to his homework. He had enough of that woman and didn't want to hear more tales of her awfulness. Ron turned to Neville. "Hey Neville, would you want to meet us in the Hog's Head on Thursday."

 

Neville looked up. "Uh, sure." He said softly. Not like he had other people to talk with.

 

When he got there a fairly large crowd had formed, waiting for Harry. Luna saw him and waved him over. He was grateful that she had invited him to sit, but he didn't know how to put it that gratitude in words so he only gave an awkward hello.

 

"Hey, Neville." Luna smiled at him. "Do you read the Quibbler?" 

 

Neville shook his head. He hadn't ever and that was intentional. He didn't want to read it and he certainly didn't want to be advertised for it, although he felt guilty when he saw Luna's disappointed face. "Most people don't." She shook her head sadly as she spoke. "But." She perked up a bit. "I know Father can make it work. His writing is good and he writes about all the things that the Daily Prophet is too scared to." 

 

Neville nodded politely as she talked, watching her blond hair bounce up and down as she moved animatedly. He had never really been around her long enough to realize, but Luna was very pretty. And asking him something. "Do you think they really exist, Neville?" She asked, looking up at him.

 

What mythical creature had she been talking about again? The answer was probably no, but he didn't want to be rude. "Well" He said drawing it out thoughtfully. "Maybe, but if we haven't found it by now, there's probably not very many of them." He had been thinking about the nargles after she mentioned them last and that was the most supportive thought he had about them. 

 

Luna seemed pleased with his answer, and sat back, mulling it over. Neville smiled, and planned on picking up a copy of the Quibbler next time he got a chance. 

 

Harry finally began talking. Ron and Hermonie stood up with him and talked about a sort of club to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts, as their current teacher was sorely lacking and Voldemort was back on the rise. Neville winced. He really wished they would stop using He Who Must Not Be Named's actual name. He understood all the stuff about fear of a thing increases fear of a thing itself, but his supporters used to kill or maim those who said it and there are still those who would commit atrocities to people who said it. 

 

Neville considered it for a little bit, as Harry pointed the beginning of the line for sign ups with a few pessimistic comments about the amount of people that would sign up. This was just another chance for him to get mocked for his lack of skill, but then again, Harry wasn't one to lie and he if he said You Know Who was back than Neville believed him. They need to prepare for the world outside the saftey of Hogwarts. He stood up and got in line to sign the sheet.

 

Luna ran up to him on the street outside of The Hog's Head. "I saw you sign up for Dumblore's Army too." 

 

Too? "You signed up?" Neville asked.

 

Luna nodded. "Its a shame we can't tell people about it. My father would love to put an organization like this in his paper. He believes Harry. We both do, and I think he'd like seeing training to beat Voldemort."

 

Neville flinched again at the name, but didn't say anything. He was glad Luna would be there, even if she did things like blurt out You Know Who's name. It would be nice to have see a familiar face. 

 

Ugh, here he was doing the same thing that he just thought Luna a Hufflepuff for the other day. Although maybe the fact that he considered her a friend was due to the fact that he wasn't exactly Draco, rolling with people trying to get closer to him. He didn't really have a lot of friends.  
God, this was a sad train of thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took me so long to update. The next chapter is on the way and will come much sooner

**Author's Note:**

> More soon! Please tell me what you think in the comments, criticism is helpful and always appreciated. If you think it sucks don't be afraid to tell me.


End file.
